If you are looking for an auto repair shop in your area that specializes in German auto body repair services, then you may need to do some research and digging. Looking through local business listings can give you an idea of the automotive experts and specialists that service your area. You can also find resources online to help you find providers as well as breakdowns of the cost of car repairs by make and model.
You can talk to friends and family about the repair experts they have used in the past and who they could recommend. It is also easy to get online and search for terms such as ‘car parts repair near me.’ And don’t forget about voice search options as you can use your smart phone or device to ‘find cheap place to get my brakes done near me’ or any other search term you need assistance with.
Finding a reliable and honest mechanic is vital to keeping your vehicle in tip top shape. Start your search today and discover how much better being a vehicle owner can be when you know you have repair experts on call when you need them.
If there are two things most people are proud of, it’s their homes and their cars. After all, who doesn’t like showing off a brand new car for a new home?
As nice as those things might be to show off, there’s no question that time changes things. Over time your brand new car doesn’t quite look so brand new and your house, that was sparkling when you bought it, is possibly beginning to show its age.
So what can you do? The best answer is to get to work and spruce both of them up. These days there are any number of DIY home and car projects you can do to really breathe new life into your abode or your ride. The time to do it is now because it’s estimated that one out of every five people puts off completing repairs on their home.
DIY Car Projects
When it comes to home and car projects, you may think you need an advanced engineering degree to be able to work on a car. While that certainly helps, it doesn’t mean you can’t work on cars. Armed with some basic mechanical know-how, you can do just about anything and make plenty of tweaks that really change your car for the better. With that in mind, here are some easy DIY upgrades you can make to your car:
Add Tinting
One fun project you can do with your car is to add auto window tinting. Tinting not only improves your car’s aesthetic and provides several other benefits. Tinting your windows protects your car’s upholstery, protects your car’s interior from UV rays and offers a measure of privacy and security.
Changing Tires
Inevitably your car’s tires are going to wear down and you’ll need new ones. When that time comes you can always go to a dealership and have them put four new tires on your ride, or you can change them yourself. It’s often been said that one of the most important life skills you can ever learn is how to change a tire and this will certainly help you if you’re looking to replace your old tires.
If you’re able to jack up a car and change a tire, you can easily put on four new tires that will give you a better grip on the road as well as better handling. The hardest choice you might have to make is which tires you want to put on your car. If you’re not particularly picky you should try to find a good all season tire that will help you in the cold of winter and the warmth of summer.
Adding Technology
Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a car enthusiast, it’s hard to beat some of the bells and whistles you can find in today’s vehicles. These days you can have Bluetooth connectivity to listen to music, you can make a phone call with the touch of a button, and you can even reply to a text message out loud in a matter of seconds.
There’s no limit to the amount of technology you can add your car, but you’re going to want to be careful. Odds are pretty good any new technology you want to add will require some knowledge of electrical hookups. You can acquire that knowledge yourself or if you got a buddy who’s an experienced electrician, you might want to reach out to him or her.
Sometimes adding technology can be very simple too. Let’s say for example that you want to install a GPS system in your car. Many GPS systems plug into a cigarette lighter and can attach it on your dashboard with a suction mount. You can easily install those in a matter of minutes and have a technology upgrade that’s going to help you on your travels.
Remote Start
If you know anybody that has remote start in their vehicle, then you probably know how much they rave about how great it is. With remote start, you can easily start your car in the morning, which definitely helps during the cold of winter.
Most dealerships and auto repair shops have offers to install remote starters for you. You can also pick up everything you need at a local home improvement store and you can install it yourself. You can buy a kit that’s compatible with your car and use basic tools to install it.
Basic tools means you’re probably going to need a basic socket wrench set and a couple of screwdrivers. The hardest part is probably going to be removing interior panels, finding the wires you need, and then connecting the appropriate wires and their components. For this reason, it’s important that you read all the instructions that come with a kit and be patient as you install it.
Spark Plugs
Swapping out spark plugs is one of the easiest home and car projects you can do. It is also very affordable. The better quality of spark plugs you have, the better spark you’re going to get, which means your vehicle is going to get more power and better fuel economy.
Before you do anything, open your car manual and figure out where to look for your spark plugs. They’re most likely going to be under the hood of your car, but you need to know where to find them and how many plugs are looking for.
Once you’ve done that, you need to take your time and check one plug at a time. What you do is grip the plug close to the base and pull the wire. The spark plug is going to stay in place so you need to take a socket and carefully slide it into the hole where the spark plug is until it fits over the plug. You’ll want to loosen it very carefully and once you got it out you’re going to want to check it. If you notice the bottom looks like an old burned-out light bulb, then you need to replace the plug.
Replacing them should be done just as carefully. You want to put the new spark plug into the socket and very carefully put the plug back in its proper place and then tighten it. Once it’s done and tightened the correct amount, reattach the cable to the back of the spark fog housing. It should click when it’s secure.
Buy a Car
One of the quickest ways to get a car for home and car projects is to buy a new one. Perhaps you’re a teenager who’s just gotten their driver’s license and is looking for their first car. If you’re shopping for a used car or looked at a used motorcycle for sale, there’s a lot of possibilities. Ultimately, you want to buy something that’s in good shape, has all the necessary paperwork, and that you’re going to feel comfortable driving in.
Seek Legal Aid
While it can be fun to upgrade your car, you want to make sure that the upgrades you’re making are legal. Before you undertake a project, consult a car accident attorney or other legal counsel to make sure you’re following the rules for things like adding tint, adding a speaker system, or putting in lift kits.
DIY Home Upgrading
When it comes to home and car projects, there’s never been a better or easier time to upgrade your house. With sites like Pinterest, you can scour the internet for hours looking at different ideas and figuring out which of them might work in your house.
Upgrading your home can you simple or as complicated as you want to make it and it doesn’t have to break the bank either. Sometimes doing simple things like putting up new wallpaper or new light switch covers, or even a fresh coat of paint can really make your house or even one room in a house totally brand new.
Here are some effective ways to upgrade your home:
Install AC
If your air conditioning system has seen better days, you can instantly upgrade your home by installing a new air conditioner (not to mention being more comfortable). You can easily install a new AC unit in a bedroom or a living room window with a few tools and a little muscle. If you need help figuring out which unit is best for your home or best for a bedroom, consult local contractors who are experienced in heating and cooling repair.
Do Some Landscaping
Nothing spruces up the outside of your home quicker than doing some landscaping. This is perhaps one of the easiest (and perhaps most fun) home and car projects you can do. You can clean up trees and bushes with some pruning shears and then you can get to planting. Even if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs, you can learn what you need to plant colorful, pleasing flowers around your property. Find flowers that are native to your area and consider planting annuals or semiannuals.
Do Some Roof Maintenance
An important home and car project you should do is maintenance to your roof. The roof is an important part of your home’s structure and it’s important to make sure it’s clear of debris, that your gutters are clean and that there are no hazards that could potentially cause major damage.
Part of that maintenance might include a residential roof installation. There are a few ways to go about it. You can do a re-roofing, where you put new shingles over your existing ones. You can also do a full roof replacement, where you strip everything down to the bone and put down new felt paper and shingles. Doing a full roof replacement is a good idea if your roof has seen better days and has major issues such as missing shingles and water damage. With a full roof replacement, you’ll be doing some much needed water damage restoration to your roof while improving the integrity of your home.
Put In a New Garage Floor
Another sensible home and car project you can do is a custom garage floor installation. New garage floor can help improve the safety of your garage, help to prevent or reduce the risk of slip and fall injuries, especially if you use an epoxy finish. A new garage floor can also improve the overall look of your garage, especially since you can play around with different colors and different finishes.
Stain Your Deck
If you’re looking to improve your home’s appearance another home and car project you can use to do it is to stain your deck. If you’ve got a back deck or even a front porch, then it’s likely you spend a lot of time relaxing there. Staining can help reduce the need for repairs and make your outdoor space or spaces look brand-new and healthy.
By staining your deck, you can:
- Improve its appearance: Wood staining helps bring out its natural beauty and there are many tints available for staining.
- Protect from the sun: UV rays can cause unwanted damage to your deck, warping it and cracking it over time. Sunlight can also cause the wood to fade. With staining, you’ll have an extra boost in protecting the color and integrity of your deck.
- Reduce moisture: Staining helps protect your deck against water damage. Decks that get too wet can easily grow mildew and mold, which can severely affect the health of the wood.
Be Safe
No matter what kind of home and car project you undertake, you want to make sure you’re staying safe. Even simple DIY projects can result in injuries and if you need medical treatment, don’t hesitate to visit a hospital or an urgent care center so a simple cut doesn’t turn into a bigger infection.
Even though all the upgrades described above can be DIY home and car projects, it’s important to know your limits. Even if you have knowledge of going into a particular project, there may be some things you don’t know. That’s when you need to reach out to contractors if you need help. Experienced contractors have the know-how and will know just how to help you where you need it. When you start a project, you’re doing so with the aim of doing a bang-up job the first time. Ignoring your limits and doing a half-hearted job is only going to prolong a project, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
